For many, many years research scientists have struggled with the time-honored methods of naturally fermenting vegetables in an ardent endeavor to minimize or eliminate the serious element of chance attending such fermentation. By that is meant that a host of factors come into play which all too often deleteriously affect the quality of the fermented product. Typically, the varied nature and quality of the stock to be fermented, the multiple and likewise varied microorganisms found associated with such stock, the difficulties attending control of, say, salt and acid concentrations during a 6- 12 month fermentation period, etc., all come into play and any of them can adversely affect the quality of the fermented product, as reflected by odor, taste, bloating, and the like.
On the whole, the efforts made over the years have been very rewarding in that significantly improved controls have been instituted, waste has been reduced and the risk factor reduced. Nevertheless, the art of naturally fermenting vegetables, such as cucumbers, is still plagued by the element of chance; it is still very dependent upon the human factor, i.e., the skill of the artisan; and it is still crippled by inordinate losses and waste.
The following references clearly attest to the great strides that have been made and provide an excellent insight into the pitfalls attending the art of fermenting vegetables:
U.s. pat. No. 3,374,099, Mar. 19, 1968, for Enzyme Inhibitor for Preventing Softening in Brined Foods, Bell, T.A., Etchells, J. L., and Smart, W. W. G., Jr. PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,403,032, Sept. 24, 1968, for Pure Culture Fermentation Process for Pickled Cucumbers, Etchells, J. L., Bell, T. A., and Costilow, R. N. PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,410,755, Nov. 12, 1968, for Process and Media for Producing Cells of Lactic Acid Bacteria, Etchells, J. L., and Costilow, R. N. PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,480,448, Nov. 25, 1969, for Pure Culture Fermentation of Green Olives, Etchells, J. L., Bell, T. A., and Kittel, I. D. PA0 J. l. etchells, A. F. Borg, I. D. Kittel, T. A. Bell, and H. P. Fleming, Pure Culture Fermentation of Green Olives, Applied Microbiology, Vol. 14, No. 6, (1966) pp. 1027 - 1041. PA0 J. l. etchells, R. N. Costilow, T. E. Anderson, and T. A. Bell, Pure Culture Fermentation of Brined Cucumbers, Applied Microbiology, Vol. 12, No. 6, (November 1964) pp. 523 - 535. PA0 J. l. etchells, A. F. Borg, and T. A. Bell, Bloater Formation by Gas-forming Lactic Acid Bacteria in Cucumber Fermentations, Applied Microbiology, Vol. 16, No. 7, (July 1968) pp. 1029 - 1035. PA0 J. l. etchells, T. A. Bell, H. P. Fleming, R. E. Kelling, and R. L. Thompson, Suggested Procedure for the Controlled Fermentation of Commercially Brined Pickling Cucumbers-the Use of Starter Cultures and Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Accumulation, Pickle Pak SCIENCE, Vol. III (December 1973), pp. 4 - 14. PA0 H. p. fleming, F. L. Thompson, J. L. Etchells, R. E. Kelling and T. A. Bell, Bloater Formation in Brined Cucumbers Fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum, Journal of Food Science. Vol. 38 (1973), pp. 499 - 503. PA0 H. p. fleming, R. L. Thompson, J. L. Etchells, R. E. Kelling and T. A. Bell, Carbon Dioxide Production in the Fermentation of Brined Cucumbers, Journal of Food Science, Vol. 38 (1973) pp. 504 - 506. PA0 Henry P. Fleming, Roger L. Thompson and John L. Etchells, Determination of Carbon Dioxide in Cucumber Brines, Journal of the AOAC, Vol. 57, No. 1, 1974, pp. 130 - 133. PA0 F. w. fabian and R. C. Fulde, The Rate of Salt Penetration Into Pickles Charted, Size By Size, Food Packer, Vol. 31, No. 9, pp. 23, 38, 41; and No. 10 (1950), pp. 28-29, 38-40, 51.
Still left to chance, however, are any number of hidden factors which, over the conventional extended period of fermentation of 6 to 12 months, account for heretofore high rates of product losses and, as a result, serious economic handicaps.
Typically, the present uncontrolled commercial brine-stock pickling procedures admit of any or all of the following drawbacks in any given tank of fermented pickles: soft or inferior textured pickles; bloaters (hollow stock) or gassy deterioration; shriveled or flat stock; poor color (external and internal bleaching); unclean odor and taste; and poor keeping quality (storability, shelf-life).
The present invention, on the other hand, provides the following very important advantages: new pickled vegetable products with improved flavor, odor, color, texture, savor, stability, and general appearance; a more scientifically controlled vegetable fermentation industry; reduction of losses due to bloaters, softening, shriveling, and poor color; reduced processing time and costs with opportunities for increased automation; reduced waste disposal problems; diversification and readycash for small farmers; increased opportunities for food processing in rural areas; simple and inexpensive means for preserving vegetables in developing countries; reduced waste disposal problems reducing the quantity of salt needed; use of significantly lower salt concentrations during fermentation and bulk storage; and other like advantages which will be apparent from the description, infra.